The difference was: That kid went to a bank, not some online forum for computer geeks! What is the most ANYONE has been lent on here anyway? I mean, I can see lending someone maybe twenty bucks on a forum, if they were a friend or something. But $30,000+? C'mon, that's ridiculous, ain't it?
3000+ BTC are frequently raised for legitimate business concerns in this forum. Many savvy businesspeople lurk / take part.
OK then, point me to a thread (or two) in which 3,000+ BTC were lent and paid back. From whom and to whom? For how long? On what terms (interest per annum)? Were there signed contracts?
And I think there's been some discussion (maybe a lot of discussion) about whether or not you can sue for non-payment or breach of contract re: bitcoins. Has anyone ever done it? Even if there is a signed contract, what happens if you're not paid back? Do bitcoins have any legal status? All of this is standard procedure for a bank loan. With bitcoins, who the f&*k knows?